Louie Quintana, Arizona State cross country and track distance coach since 2004, is leaving to become Oregon State head women’s track/cross country coach.

Quintana was an assistant at ASU for two years before replacing Walt Drenth as head cross country coach in 2004. His athletes won NCAA track titles at six distances from 800-meter to 10,000. He has coached Amy Hastings Cragg, Kyle Alcorn and Shelby Houlihan, all who went on to become U.S. Olympians. 

His Oregon State hiring was announced Monday. 

Under Quintana, the ASU women’s cross country team finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in 2005 and 2007. Houihan was a 12-time All-America and 10-time All-America Cragg is a 2017 ASU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee.

He joins former ASU throws coach Dave Dumble at Oregon State.

“The timing of this promotion is at the right time for Louie and his career,” ASU  track and field director Greg Kraft said in a statement. “Coach Quintana is ready for this challenge.” 

ASU’s opening cross country meet is Sept. 2, just six weeks away. Jeremy Rasmussen was assistant cross country coach under Quintana. It’s not known yet how ASU will proceed in filling the opening.